Audio/video reproducing apparatus and method

ABSTRACT

An audio/video reproducing apparatus is connectable to a communications network for selectively reproducing items of audio/video material from a recording medium in response to a request received via the communications network. The audio/video reproducing apparatus may comprise a control processor operable in use to receive data representing the request for the audio/video material item via the communications network. A reproducing processor is operable in response to signals identifying the audio/video material items from the control processor to reproduce the audio/video material items. The data identifying the audio/video material items includes meta data indicative of the audio/video material items. The meta data may be one of UMID, tape ID and time codes, and a Unique Material Identifier the material items.  
     To facilitate the identification and selection of the audio and/or video material, an audio and/or video processing apparatus is provided for processing audio and/or video signals representing sound and/or images. The processing apparatus comprises an activity detector operable to generate an activity signal indicative of an amount of activity within the sound/images represented by the audio/video signal, and a meta data generator coupled to the activity detector which is operable to generate sample images at temporal positions within the audio/video signal, which temporal positions are determined from the activity signal. The processing apparatus thereby provides a facility for automatically generating meta data from received audio/video signals. The meta data can be used to select the audio/video material.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to audio/video reproducingapparatus and methods of reproducing audio/video material.

[0002] The present invention also relates to video processing apparatus,audio processing apparatus and methods of processing video signals andaudio signals.

[0003] The present invention also relates to editing systems forcombining items of audio/video material to form audio/video productions.The present invention also relates to methods of generating audio/videoproductions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0004] Editing is a process in which items of audio/video material arecombined to form an audio/video production. Generally audio/videomaterial items are captured from a source in accordance with apredetermined plan. However, typically many audio/video material itemsare not used in the edited version of the audio/video production. Forexample, a television program, such as a high quality drama, may beformed from a combination of takes of audio/video material items from asingle camera. As such, in order to form the program, several takes arecombined in order to form a flow required by the story of the drama.Furthermore several takes may be generated for each scene but only aselected number of these takes are combined in order to form the scene.

[0005] The term audio and/or video will be referred to herein asaudio/video and includes any form of information representing sound orvisual images or a combination of sound and visual images.

[0006] In a post production process the items of audio/video materialare selectively combined by the editor to form the audio/videoproduction. However in order to select the required audio/video materialitems to form the production, the editor must review the items ofaudio/video material that have been generated. This is a time consumingand arduous task, particularly when a linear recording medium, such as avideo tape has been used to record the audio/video material items.

[0007] In general the quality of the images represented on the recordingmedium, to the extent that the images and/or sound represent theoriginal source is arranged to be as high as possible. This means thatan amount of information that must be store to represent these imagesand/or sound is relatively high. As a result, the images and/or soundcannot be readily accessed so that the content of the audio/videomaterial items cannot be easily ascertained once recorded. This isparticularly so, if a format in which the images and sounds arerepresented is compressed in some way. For example video cameras andcamcorders are arranged conventionally to record a video signalsrepresenting the moving images on a video tape. Once the video signalshave been recorded on to the video tape, a user cannot determine thecontent of the video tape without reviewing the entire tape.Furthermore, because video tape is an example of a linear recordingmedium, the task of navigating through the media to locate particularcontent items of video material is time consuming and labour intensive.As a result during an editing process in which selected items from thecontents of the video tape are combined in an order which may bedifferent to that in which they were recorded, it may be necessary toreview the entire contents of the video tape in order to identify theselected items.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

[0008] According to the present invention there is provided anaudio/video reproducing apparatus connectable to a communicationsnetwork for selectively reproducing items of audio/video material from arecording medium in response to a request received via saidcommunications network.

[0009] By providing an audio/video reproducing apparatus which isconnectable to a communications network, an editing facility is providedfor reproducing audio/video material items, in which the items may beremotely selected. A network connection provides a facility for theaudio/video material items to be accessed separately by more than oneediting terminal.

[0010] The content of video material generated by a camera is typicallystored in a form which facilitates a high quality reproduction. Ingeneral the quality of the images represented by the video signal, tothe extent that the images reflect an original image source fallingwithin the field of view of the camera, is arranged to be as high aspossible. This means that an amount of information that must be store torepresent these images is relatively high. This in turn requires thatthe video signal is stored in a format that does not readily allowaccess to the content of the video signals. This is particularly so, ifthe video signal is compressed in some way. For example, video camerasand camcorders are arranged conventionally to record a video signalsrepresenting moving images on to a video tape. Once the video signalshave been recorded on to the video tape, a user cannot readily determinethe content of the video tape without reviewing the entire tape.Alternatively, the contents of the recording medium may be ingested toprovide substantially non-linear access to the audio/video material.However this is time consuming, particularly for example for a linearrecording medium. Therefore by providing a facility for accessing theaudio/video material items via a network, the items may be selectivelyaccessed via the network, without being ingested and without having toreview the entire of the tape.

[0011] In preferred embodiments the audio/video reproducing apparatusmay comprise a control processor which is arranged in use to receivedata representing requests for audio/video material items via thecommunications network, and a reproducing processor coupled to thecontrol processor and arranged in response to signals identifying theaudio/video material items from the control processor to reproduce theaudio/video material items, which are communicated via thecommunications network.

[0012] The task of navigating through the media to locate particularcontent items of video material is time consuming and labour intensive.As a result during an editing process in which selected items from thecontents of the video tape are combined in an order which may bedifferent to that in which they were recorded, it may be necessary toreview the entire contents of the video tape in order to identify theselected items. Hence by identifying the audio/video material itemsrequired and reproducing only the items identified, an advantage isprovided in respect of the time taken to edit an audio/video production.

[0013] In order to receive commands identifying the audio/video materialitems and to communicate the audio/video material items, the audio/videoreproducing apparatus may comprise a first network interface connectableto a first communications network for receiving the data representingthe requests for audio/video material, and a second network interfaceconnectable to a second communications network for communicating theitems of audio/video material. By providing a first network interfaceadapted to receive data representative of request for audio/video dataand a second interface for communicating the items of audio/videomaterial, the first and second interfaces can be optimised for thedifferent type of data being communicated. For the audio/video materialitems this is particularly important because the network connection muststream audio/video which requires a relatively high bandwidth. As suchin preferred embodiments, the first network interface may be arranged tooperate in accordance with a data communications network standard suchas Ethernet, RS 322 or RS 422 or the like. Furthermore, the secondnetwork interface may be arranged to operates in accordance with theSerial Digital Interface (SDI) or the Serial Digital Transport Interface(SDTI).

[0014] A particular advantage is provided by identifying the content ofthe audio/video material items so that appropriate items may be selectedand ingested via the network. Meta data is data which serves to describeeither the content of audio/video material or parameters present or usedto generate the audio/video material or any other information associatedwith the audio/video material.

[0015] In preferred embodiments, the data representing requests foraudio/video material items includes meta data indicative of theaudio/video material items. The meta data may be at least one of UMID,tape ID and time codes, and a Unique Material Reference Number.

[0016] Although the reproducing apparatus may be arranged to reproduceitems of audio/video material from a single recording medium, thereproducing processor may comprise a plurality of audio/videorecording/reproducing apparatus each of which is coupled to said controlprocessor via a local data bus. A further improvement is provided to theaudio/video reproducing apparatus in accessing a plurality of recordingmedia from the control process so that, for example the entire contentsof a shoot from which the audio/video production is to be generated canbe accessed via the network. Access may also be arranged in parallel.The recording media may also be different, so that some of the pluralityof audio/video recording/reproducing apparatus may reproduce theaudio/video items from tape and some from disc.

[0017] In order to access the audio/video material present on therecording media, in preferred embodiments, the local bus may include acontrol communications channel for communicating control data to and/orfrom the control processor, and a video data communications channel forcommunicating the items of audio/video material from the plurality ofaudio/video recording/reproducing apparatus to the communicationsnetwork.

[0018] To provide an indication of the contents of the audio/videomaterial, the audio/video reproducing apparatus may have a displaydevice which is arranged in operation to display images representativeof the audio/video material items present on the recording medium.Furthermore to facilitate access to the audio/video material items, thedisplay device may be a touch screen coupled to the control processor,and arrange in use to receive touch commands from a user for selectingthe items of audio/video material.

[0019] According to another aspect of the present invention there isprovided a video processing apparatus for processing video signalsrepresenting images comprising an activity detector which is arranged inoperation to receive the video signals and to generate an activitysignal indicative of an amount of activity within the images representedby the video signal, and a meta data generator coupled to the activitydetector which is arranged in operation to receive the video signal andthe activity signal and to generate meta data representing the contentof the video signals at temporal positions within the video signal,which temporal positions are determined from the activity signal.

[0020] In preferred embodiments the meta data generator is an imagegenerator, the meta data generated being sample images at the temporalimages within the video signal determined by the activity signal.

[0021] The present invention provides a particular advantage inproviding an indication of the content of video signals, at temporalpositions within those signals at which there is activity. As a resultan improvement is provided to an editing or a process in which the videosignals are being ingested for further processing, in providing anvisual indication from the sample images of the content of the videosignals at temporal positions within the video signals which may be ofmost interest to an editor or user.

[0022] The sample images can provide a static representation of themoving video images which facilitates navigation by providing areference to the content of the moving video images.

[0023] The activity signal may be generated from generating a colorhistogram of the color components within an image and determiningactivity from a rate of change of the histogram, or from for examplemotion vectors for selected image components. The activity signal may betherefore representative of a relative amount of activity within theimages represented by the video signal and the image detector may bearranged in operation to produce more of the sample images duringperiods of greater activity indicated by the activity signal. Byarranging for more sample images to be generated a greater periods ofactivity, the information provided to an editor about the content of thevideo signals is increased, or alternatively the available resources forgenerating the sample images is concentrated on periods within the videosignal of most interest.

[0024] In order to reduce an amount of data capacity required to storeand/or communicate the sample images, the sample images may berepresented by a substantially reduced amount of data in comparison tothe images represented by the video signal.

[0025] Although the video processing apparatus may receive the videosignals from an separate source, advantageously the video processingapparatus may further comprise a reproduction processor which isarranged in operation to receive a recording medium on which the videosignals are recorded and to reproduce the video signals from therecording medium. Furthermore in preferred embodiments the imagegenerator may be arranged in operation to generate, for each of thesample images a material identification representative of locations onthe recording medium where the video signals corresponding to the sampleimages are recorded. This provides an advantage in not only providing avisual indication of the contents of a recording medium, but alsoproviding with the visual indication a location at which this content isstored so that the video signals at this location can be reproduced forfurther editing.

[0026] According to another aspect of the present invention there isprovided an audio processing apparatus for processing an audio signalrepresenting sound, the apparatus comprising an activity detector whichis arranged in operation to receive the audio signal and to generate anactivity signal indicative of an amount of activity within the soundrepresented by the audio signal, and a meta data generator coupled tothe activity detector which is arranged in operation to receive theaudio signal and the activity signal and to generate meta datarepresenting the content of the audio signals at temporal positionswithin the audio signal, which temporal positions are determined fromthe activity signal.

[0027] According to a further aspect of the present invention there isprovided an audio processing apparatus for processing audio signalsrepresentative of sound, the audio processing apparatus comprising aspeech analysis processor which is arranged in operation to generatespeech data identifying speech detected within the audio signals, anactivity processor coupled to the speech analysis processor and arrangedin operation to generate an activity signal in response to the speechdata, and a content information generator, coupled to the activityprocessor and the speech analysis processor and arranged in operation togenerate data representing the content of the speech at temporalpositions within the audio signal determined by the activity signal.

[0028] As for video signals, the present invention finds application ingenerating an indication of the content of speech present in audiosignals, whereby navigation through the content of the audio signals isfacilitated. For example, in preferred embodiments, the activity signalmay indicative of the start of a speech sentence, so that the datarepresenting the content of the speech provides an indication of thecontent of the start of each sentence.

[0029] The content data can provide a static structural indication ofthe content of the audio signals which can facilitate navigation throughthe audio signals by providing a reference to the content of thosesignals.

[0030] Although the audio processor may receive the audio signal from aseparate source, in preferred embodiments, the reproduction processormay be arranged in operation to receive a recording medium on which theaudio signals are recorded and to reproduce the audio signals from therecording medium. Furthermore, the content information generator may bearranged in operation to generate, for each of the content data items amaterial identification representative of a location on the recordingmedium where the audio signals corresponding to the content data arerecorded. As such, an advantage is provided to an editor by associatinga material identifier providing the location of the audio signals on therecording medium corresponding to the content data, with the contentdata which can be used to navigate through the recording medium. Thecontent data may be any convenient representation of the content of thespeech, however, in preferred embodiments the content data isrepresentative of text corresponding to the content of the speech.

[0031] According to another aspect of the present invention there isprovided a system for editing audio/video productions comprising aningestion processor having means for receiving a recording medium and isarranged in use to reproduce audio/video material items from therecording medium, a data base operable to receive and to store meta datadescribing the contents of audio/video material items loaded into theingestion processor, and an editing processor coupled to the ingestionprocessor and the data base, the editing processor having a graphicaluser interface for displaying a representation of the meta data storedin the data base and for selecting the audio/video material items fromthe displayed representation of the meta data, the editing processorbeing arranged to combine user selected items of audio/video material,which are selectively reproduced by the ingestion processor in responseto meta data corresponding to the selected items of audio/video materialbeing communicated to the ingestion processor by the editing processor.

[0032] As already explained, during acquisition, once the signalsrepresenting the audio/video material items have been recorded on to therecording medium, a user cannot readily determine the content of theaudio/video material items without reproducing the items from therecording medium. Alternatively, the contents of the recording mediummay be ingested to provide substantially non-linear access to theaudio/video material. This is time consuming, particularly for examplefor a linear recording medium. However by providing access to meta datawhich may be generated at acquisition of the audio/video material, andwhich describes the content of the material, an editing system mayselect and only reproduce items of audio/video material from therecording medium which are required for the edited audio/videoproduction. As such the editing process is made more efficient by onlyingesting audio/video material items which are required for theaudio/video production.

[0033] Advantageously, the editing processor may be coupled to the database and to the ingestion processor via a data communications network.The communications network provides a facility for accessing the metadata and the audio/video material items remotely. Additionally, morethan one editing processor may be coupled to the comminations networkthereby providing a facility for the matadata in the data base and theaudio/video material to be selectively accessed, whereby editing of morethan one audio/video production may be edited contemporaneously.

[0034] In preferred embodiments, the data communications network maycomprise a first communications network coupled to the editing station,the data base and the ingestion processor for communicating the metadata, and a second communications network coupled to the editingstation, the data base and the ingestion processor for communicating theitems of audio/video material. By providing a first communicationschannel adapted to receive data representative of requests foraudio/video data and a second communications channel for communicatingthe items of audio/video material, the first and second interfaces canbe optimised for the different type of data being communicated. For theaudio/video material items this is advantageous because the networkconnection must stream audio/video which requires a relatively highbandwidth. As such in preferred embodiments, the first network interfacemay be arranged to operate in accordance with a data communicationsnetwork standard such as Ethernet, RS 322 or RS 422 or the like.Furthermore, the second network interface may be arranged to operates inaccordance with the Serial Digital Interface (SDI) or the Serial DigitalTransport Interface (SDTI).

[0035] In preferred embodiments, the meta data may be one of a UMID,tape ID and time codes, and a Unique Material Reference Number,identifying the material items.

[0036] As mentioned above, the meta data may be generated with theaudio/video material items during acquisition. As such, the recordingmedium may include the meta data describing the content of theaudio/video material items recorded on to the recording medium, and theingestion processor may be arranged in operation to reproduce the metadata and to communicate the meta data via the network to the data base,the data base operating to receive and to store the meta data.

[0037] A particular advantage is provided by identifying the content ofthe audio/video material items so that appropriate items may be selectedand ingested via the network.

[0038] The term meta data as used herein refers to and includes any formof information or data which serves to describe either the content ofaudio/video material or parameters present or used to generate theaudio/video material or any other information associated with theaudio/video material. Meta data may be, for example, “semantic metadata” which provides contextual/descriptive information about the actualcontent of the audio/video material. Examples of semantic meta data arethe start of periods of dialogue, changes in a scene, introduction ofnew faces or face positions within a scene or any other items associatedwith the source content of the audio/video material. The meta data mayalso be syntactic meta data which is associated with items of equipmentor parameters which were used whilst generating the audio/video materialsuch as, for example, an amount of zoom applied to a camera lens, anaperture and shutter speed setting of the lens, and a time and date whenthe audio/video material was generated. Although meta data may berecorded with the audio/video material with which it is associated,either on separate parts of a recording medium or on common parts of arecording medium, meta data in the sense used herein is intended for usein navigating and identifying features and essence of the content of theaudio/video material, and may, therefore be separated from theaudio/video signals when the audio/video signals are reproduced. Themeta data is therefore separable from the audio/video signals.

[0039] Various further aspects and features of the present invention aredefined in the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0040] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by wayof example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

[0041]FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a video camera arranged inoperative association with a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA),

[0042]FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of parts of the video camerashown in FIG. 1,

[0043]FIG. 3 is a pictorial representation providing an example of theform of the PDA shown in FIG. 1,

[0044]FIG. 4 is a schematic block diagram of a further examplearrangement of parts of a video camera and some of the parts of thevideo camera associated with generating and processing meta data as aseparate acquisition unit associated with a further example PDA,

[0045]FIG. 5 is a pictorial representation providing an example of theform of the acquisition unit shown in FIG. 4,

[0046]FIG. 6 is a part schematic part pictorial representationillustrating an example of the connection between the acquisition unitand the video camera of FIG. 4,

[0047]FIG. 7 is a part schematic block diagram of an ingestion processorcoupled to a network, part flow diagram illustrating the ingestion ofmeta data and audio/video material items,

[0048]FIG. 8 is a pictorial representation of the ingestion processorshown in FIG. 7,

[0049]FIG. 9 is a part schematic block diagram part pictorialrepresentation of the ingestion processor shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 shownin more detail,

[0050]FIG. 10 is a schematic block diagram showing the ingestionprocessor shown in operative association with the database of FIG. 7,

[0051]FIG. 11 is a schematic block diagram showing a further example ofthe operation of the ingestion processor shown FIG. 7,

[0052]FIG. 12a is a schematic representation of the generation ofpicture stamps at sample times of audio/video material,

[0053]FIG. 12b is a schematic representation of the generation of textsamples with respect to time of the audio/video material,

[0054]FIG. 13 provides as illustrative representation of an examplestructure for organising meta data,

[0055]FIG. 14 is a schematic block diagram illustrating the structure ofa data reduced UMID, and

[0056]FIG. 15 is a schematic block diagram illustrating the structure ofan extended UMID.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Acquisition Unit

[0057] Embodiments of the present invention relate to audio and/or videogeneration apparatus which may be for example television cameras, videocameras or camcorders. An embodiment of the present invention will nowbe described with reference to FIG. 1 which provides a schematic blockdiagram of a video camera which is arranged to communicate to a personaldigital assistant (PDA). A PDA is an example of a data processor whichmay be arranged in operation to generate meta data in accordance with auser's requirements. The term personal digital assistant is known tothose acquainted with the technical field of consumer electronics as aportable or hand held personal organiser or data processor which includean alpha numeric key pad and a hand writing interface.

[0058] In FIG. 1 a video camera 101 is shown to comprise a camera body102 which is arranged to receive light from an image source fallingwithin a field of view of an imaging arrangement 104 which may includeone or more imaging lenses (not shown). The camera also includes a viewfinder 106 and an operating control unit 108 from which a user cancontrol the recording of signals representative of the images formedwithin the field of view of the camera. The camera 101 also includes amicrophone 110 which may be a plurality of microphones arranged torecord sound in stereo. Also shown in FIG. 1 is a hand-held PDA 112which has a screen 114 and an alphanumeric key pad 116 which alsoincludes a portion to allow the user to write characters recognised bythe PDA. The PDA 112 is arranged to be connected to the video camera 101via an interface 118. The interface 118 is arranged in accordance with apredetermined standard format such as, for example an RS232 or the like.The interface 118 may also be effected using infra-red signals, wherebythe interface 118 is a wireless communications link. The interface 118provides a facility for communicating information with the video camera101. The function and purpose of the PDA 112 will be explained in moredetail shortly. However in general the PDA 112 provides a facility forsending and receiving meta data generated using the PDA 112 and whichcan be recorded with the audio and video signals detected and capturedby the video camera 1. A better understanding of the operation of thevideo camera 101 in combination with the PDA 112 may be gathered fromFIG. 2 which shows a more detailed representation of the body 102 of thevideo camera which is shown in FIG. 1 and in which common parts have thesame numerical designations.

[0059] In FIG. 2 the camera body 102 is shown to comprise a tape drive122 having read/write heads 124 operatively associated with a magneticrecording tape 126. Also shown in FIG. 2 the camera body includes a metadata generation processor 128 coupled to the tape drive 122 via aconnecting channel 130. Also connected to the meta data generationprocessor 128 is a data store 132, a clock 136 and three sensors 138,140, 142. The interface unit 118 sends and receives data also shown inFIG. 2 via a wireless channel 119. Correspondingly two connectingchannels for receiving and transmitting data respectively, connect theinterface unit 118 to the meta data generation processor 128 viacorresponding connecting channels 148 and 150. The meta data generationprocessor is also shown to receive via a connecting channel 151 theaudio/video signals generated by the camera. The audio/video signals arealso fed to the tape drive 122 to be recorded on to the tape 126.

[0060] The video camera 110 shown in FIG. 1 operates to record visualinformation falling within the field of view of the lens arrangement 104onto a recording medium. The visual information is converted by thecamera into video signals. In combination, the visual images arerecorded as video signals with accompanying sound which is detected bythe microphone 101 and arranged to be recorded as audio signals on therecording medium with the video signals. As shown in FIG. 2, therecording medium is a magnetic tape 126 which is arranged to record theaudio and video signals onto the recording tape 126 by the read/writeheads 124. The arrangement by which the video signals and the audiosignals are recorded by the read/write heads 124 onto the magnetic tape126 is not shown in FIG. 2 and will not be further described as thisdoes not provide any greater illustration of the example embodiment ofthe present invention. However once a user has captured visual imagesand recorded these images using the magnetic tape 126 as with theaccompanying audio signals, meta data describing the content of theaudio/video signals may be input using the PDA 112. As will be explainedshortly this meta data can be information that identifies theaudio/video signals in association with a pre-planned event, such as a‘take’. As shown in FIG. 2 the interface unit 118 provides a facilitywhereby the meta data added by the user using the PDA 112 may bereceived within the camera body 102. Data signals may be received viathe wireless channel 119 at the interface unit 118. The interface unit118 serves to convert these signals into a form in which they can beprocessed by the acquisition processor 128 which receives these datasignals via the connecting channels 148, 150.

[0061] Meta data is generated automatically by the meta data generationprocessor 128 in association with the audio/video signals which arereceived via the connecting channel 151. In the example embodimentillustrated in FIG. 2, the meta data generation processor 128 operatesto generate time codes with reference to the clock 136, and to writethese time codes on to the tape 126 in a linear recording track providedfor this purpose. The time codes are formed by the meta data generationprocessor 128 from the clock 136. Furthermore, the meta data generationprocessor 128 forms other meta data automatically such as a UMID, whichidentifies uniquely the audio/video signals. The meta data generationprocessor may operate in combination with the tape driver 124, to writethe UMID on to the tape with the audio/video signals.

[0062] In an alternative embodiment, the UMID, as well as other metadata may be stored in the data store 132 and communicated separatelyfrom the tape 126. In this case, a tape ID is generated by the meta datageneration processor 128 and written on to the tape 126, to identify thetape 126 from other tapes.

[0063] In order to generate the UMID, and other meta data identifyingthe contents of the audio/video signals, the meta data generationprocessor 128 is arranged in operation to receive signals from othersensor 138, 140, 142, as well as the clock 136. The meta data generationprocessor therefore operates to co-ordinate these signals and providesthe meta data generation processor with meta data such as the aperturesetting of the camera lens 104, the shutter speed and a signal receivedvia the control unit 108 to indicate that the visual images captured area “good shot”. These signals and data are generated by the sensors 138,140, 142 and received at the meta data generation processor 128. Themeta data generation processor in the example embodiment is arranged toproduce syntactic meta data which provides operating parameters whichare used by the camera in generating the video signals. Furthermore themeta data generation processor 128 monitors the status of the camcorder101, and in particular whether audio/video signals are being recorded bythe tape drive 124. When RECORD START is detected the IN POINT time codeis captured and a UMID is generated in correspondence with the IN POINTtime code. Furthermore in some embodiments an extended UMID isgenerated, in which case the meta data generation processor is arrangedto receive spatial co-ordinates which are representative of the locationat which the audio/video signals are acquired. The spatial co-ordinatesmay be generated by a receiver which operates in accordance with theGlobal Positioning System (GPS). The receiver may be external to thecamera, or may be embodied within the camera body 102.

[0064] When RECORD START is detected, the OUT POINT time code iscaptured by the meta data generation processor 128. As explained above,it is possible to generate a “good shot” marker. The “good shot” markeris generated during the recording process, and detected by the meta datageneration processor. The “good shot” marker is then either stored onthe tape, or within the data store 132, with the corresponding IN POINTand OUT POINT time codes.

[0065] As already indicated above, the PDA 112 is used to facilitateidentification of the audio/video material generated by the camera. Tothis end, the PDA is arranged to associate this audio/video materialwith pre-planned events such as scenes, shots or takes. The camera andPDA shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 form part of an integrated system forplanning, acquiring, editing an audio/video production. During aplanning phase, the scenes which are required in order to produce anaudio/video production are identified. Furthermore for each scene anumber of shots are identified which are required in order to establishthe scene. Within each shot, a number of takes may be generated and fromthese takes a selected number may be used to form the shot for the finaledit. The planning information in this form is therefore identified at aplanning stage. Data representing or identifying each of the plannedscenes and shots is therefore loaded into the PDA 1 12 along with noteswhich will assist the director when the audio/video material iscaptured. An example of such data is shown in the table below. A/VProduction News story: BMW disposes of Rover Scene ID: 900015689 OutsideLongbridge Shot 5000000199 Longbridge BMW Sign Shot 5000000200 WorkersLeaving shift Shot 5000000201 Workers in car park Scene ID: 900015690BMW HQ Munich Shot 5000000202 Press conference Shot 5000000203 OutsideBMW building Scene ID: 900015691 Interview with minister Shot 5000000204Interview

[0066] In the first column of the table below the event which will becaptured by the camera and for which audio/video material will begenerated is shown. Each of the events which is defined in a hierarchyis provided with an identification number. Correspondingly, in thesecond column notes are provided in order to direct or remind thedirector of the content of the planned shot or scene. For example, inthe first row the audio/video production is identified as being a newsstory, reporting the disposal of Rover by BMW. In the extract of theplanning information shown in the table below, there are three scenes,each of which is provided with a unique identification number. Each ofthese scenes are “Outside Long Bridge”, “BMW HQ Munich” and “Interviewwith Minister”. Correspondingly for each scene a number of shots areidentified and these are shown below each of the scenes with a uniqueshot identification number. Notes corresponding to the content of eachof these shots are also entered in the second column. So, for example,for the first scene “Outside Long Bridge”, three shots are identifiedwhich are “Long Bridge BMW”, “Workers leaving shift” and “Workers in carpark”. With this information loaded onto the PDA, the director or indeeda single camera man may take the PDA out to the place where the newstory is to be shot, so that the planned audio/video material can begathered. An illustration of the form of the PDA with the graphical userinterface displaying this information is shown in FIG. 3.

[0067] As indicated in FIG. 1, the PDA 112 is arranged to communicatedata to the camera 111. To this end the meta data generation processor128 is arranged to communicate data with the PDA 112 via the interface118. The interface 118 maybe for example an infra-red link 119 providingwireless communications in accordance with a known standard. The PDA andthe parts of the camera associated with generating meta data which areshown in FIG. 2 are shown in more detail in FIG. 4.

[0068] In FIG. 4 the parts of the camera which are associated withgenerating meta data and communicating with the PDA 112 are shown in aseparate acquisition unit 152. However it will be appreciated that theacquisition unit 152 could also be embodied within the camera 102. Theacquisition unit 152 comprises the meta data generation processor 128,and the data store 132. The acquisition processor 152 also includes theclock 136 and the sensors 138, 140, 142 although for clarity these arenot shown in FIG. 4. Alternatively, some or all of these features whichare shown in FIG. 2 will be embodied within the camera 102 and thesignals which are required to define the meta data such as the timecodes and the audio/video signals themselves may be communicated via acommunications link 153 which is coupled to an interface port 154. Themeta data generation processor 128 is therefore provided with access tothe time codes and the audio/video material as well as other parametersused in generating the audio/video material. Signals representing thetime codes end parameters as well as the audio/video signals arereceived from the interface port 154 via the interface channel 156. Theacquisition unit 152 is also provided with a screen (not shown) which isdriven by a screen driver 158. Also shown in FIG. 4 the acquisition unitis provided with a communications processor 160 which is coupled to themeta data generation processor 128 via a connecting channel 162.Communications is effected by the communications processor 160 via aradio frequency communications channel using the antennae 164. Apictorial representation of the acquisition unit 152 is shown in FIG. 5.

[0069] The PDA 112 is also shown in FIG. 4. The PDA 112 iscorrespondingly provided with an infra-red communications port 165 forcommunicating data to and from the acquisition unit 152 via an infra-redlink 119. A data processor 166 within the PDA 112 is arranged tocommunicate data to and from the infra-red port 165 via a connectingchannel 166. The PDA 112 is also provided with a data store 167 and ascreen driver 168 which are connected to the data processor 166.

[0070] The pictorial representation of the PDA 112 shown in FIG. 3 andthe acquisition unit shown in FIG. 5 provide an illustration of anexample embodiment of the present invention. A schematic diagramillustrating the arrangement and connection of the PDA 112 and theacquisition unit 152 is shown in FIG. 6. In the example shown in FIG. 6the acquisition unit 152 is mounted on the back of a camera 101 andcoupled to the camera via a six pin remote connector and to a connectingchannel conveying the external signal representative of the time coderecorded onto the recording tape. Thus, the six pin remote connector andthe time code indicated as arrow lines form the communications channel153 shown in FIG. 4. The interface port 154 is shown in FIG. 6 to be aVA to DN1 conversion comprising an RM-P 9/LTC to RS422 converter 154.RM-P9 is a camera remote control protocol, whereas LTC is Linear TimeCode in the form of an analogue signal. This is arranged to communicatewith a RS422 to RS232 converter 154″ via a connecting channel whichforms part of the interface port 154. The converter 154″ thencommunicates with the meta data generation processor 128 via theconnecting channel 156 which operates in accordance with the RS 232standard.

[0071] Returning to FIG. 4, the PDA 112 which has been loaded with thepre-planned production information is arranged to communicate thecurrent scene and shot for which audio/video material is to be generatedby communicating the next shot ID number via the infra-red link 119. Thepre-planned information may also have been communicated to theacquisition unit 152 and stored in the data store 132 via a separatelink or via the infra-red communication link 119. However in effect theacquisition unit 152 is directed to generate meta data in associationwith the scene or shot ID number which is currently being taken. Afterreceiving the information of the current shot the camera 102 is thenoperated to make a “take of the shot”. The audio/video material of thetake is recorded onto the recording tape 126 with corresponding timecodes. These time codes are received along with the audio/video materialvia the interface port 154 at the meta data generation processor 128.The meta data generation processor 128 having been informed of thecurrent pre-planned shot now being taken logs the time codes for eachtake of the shot. The meta data generation processor therefore logs theIN and OUT time codes of each take and stores these in the data store132.

[0072] The information generated and logged by the meta data generationprocessor 128 is shown in the table below. In the first column the sceneand shot are identified with the corresponding ID numbers, and for eachshot several takes are made by the camera operator which are indicatedin a hierarchical fashion. Thus, having received information from thePDA 112 of the current shot, each take made by the camera operator islogged by the meta data generation processor 128 and the IN and OUTpoints for this take are shown in the second and third columns andstored in the data store 132. This information may also be displayed onthe screen of the acquisition unit 152 as shown in FIG. 5. Furthermore,the meta data generation processor 128 as already explained generatesthe UMID for each take for the audio/video material generated during thetake. The UMID for each take forms the fourth column of the table.Additionally, in some embodiments, to provide a unique identification ofthe tape once which the material is recorded, a tape identification isgenerated and associated with the meta data. The tape identification maybe written on to the tape, or stored on a random access memory chipwhich is embodied within the video tape cassette body. This randomaccess memory chip is known as a TELEFILE (RTM) system which provides afacility for reading the tape ID number remotely. The tape ID is writtenonto the magnetic tape 126 to uniquely identify this tape. In preferredembodiments the TELEFILE (RTM) system is provided with a unique numberwhich manufactured as part of the memory and so can be used as the tapeID number. In other embodiments the TELEFILE (RTM) system providesautomatically the IN/OUT time codes of the recorded audio/video materialitems.

[0073] In one embodiment the information shown in the table below isarranged to be recorded onto the magnetic tape in a separate recordingchannel. However, in other embodiments the meta data shown in the tableis communicated separately from the tape 126 using either thecommunications processor 160 or the infra-red link 119. The meta datamaybe received by the PDA 112 for analysis and may be furthercommunicated by the PDA. Scene ID: 900015689 Tape ID: 00001 UMID: Shot5000000199 Take 1 IN: 00:03:45:29 OUT: 00:04:21:05 060C23B340.. Take 2IN: 00:04:21:20 OUT: 00:04:28:15 060C23B340.. Take 3 IN: 00:04:28:20OUT: 00:05:44:05 060C23B340.. Shot 5000000200 Take 1 IN: 00:05:44:10OUT: 00:08:22:05 060C23B340.. Take 2 IN: 00:08:22:10 OUT: 00:08:23:05060C23B340..

[0074] The communications processor 160 may be arranged in operation totransmit the meta data generated by the meta data generation processor128 via a wireless communications link. The meta data maybe received viathe wireless communications link by a remotely located studio which canthen acquire the meta data and process this meta data ahead of theaudio/video material recorded onto the magnetic tape 126. This providesan advantage in improving the rate at which the audio/video productionmay be generated during the post production phase in which the materialis edited.

[0075] A further advantageous feature provided by embodiments of thepresent invention is an arrangement in which a picture stamp isgenerated at certain temporal positions within the recorded audio/videosignals. A picture stamp is known to those skilled in the art as being adigital representation of an image and in the present example embodimentis generated from the moving video material generated by the camera. Thepicture stamp may be of lower quality in order to reduce an amount ofdata required to represent the image from the video signals. Thereforethe picture stamp may be compression encoded which may result in areduction in quality. However a picture stamp provides a visualindication of the content of the audio/video material and therefore is avaluable item of meta data. Thus, the picture stamp may for example begenerated at the IN and OUT time codes of a particular take. Thus, thepicture stamps may be associated with the meta data generated by themeta data generation processor 128 and stored in the data store 132. Thepicture stamps are therefore associated with items of meta data such as,for example, the time codes which identify the place on the tape wherethe image represented by the picture stamp is recorded. The picturestamps may be generated with the “Good Shot” markers. The picture stampsare generated by the meta data generation processor 128 from theaudio/video signals received via the communications link 153. The metadata generation processor therefore operates to effect a data samplingand compression encoding process in order to produce the picture stamps.Once the picture stamps have been generated they can be used for severalpurposes. They may be stored in a data file and communicated separatelyfrom the tape 126, or they may be stored on the tape 126 in compressedform in a separate recording channel. Alternatively in preferredembodiments picture stamps may be communicated using the communicationsprocessor 160 to the remotely located studio where a producer mayanalysis the picture stamps. This provides the producer with anindication as to whether the audio/video material generated by thecamera operator is in accordance with what is required.

[0076] In a yet further embodiment, the picture stamps are communicatedto the PDA 112 and displayed on the PDA screen. This may be effected viathe infra-red port 119 or the PDA may be provided with a furtherwireless link which can communicate with the communications processor160. In this way a director having the hand held PDA 112 is providedwith an indication of the current audio/video content generated by thecamera. This provides an immediate indication of the artist andaesthetic quality of the audio/video material currently being generated.As already explained the picture stamps are compression encoded so thatthey may be rapidly communicated to the PDA.

[0077] A further advantage of the acquisition unit 152 shown in FIG. 4is that the editing process is made more efficient by providing theeditor at a remotely located studio with an indication of the content ofthe audio/video material in advance of receiving that material. This isbecause the picture stamps are communication with the meta data via awireless link so that the editor is provided with an indication of thecontent of the audio/video material in advance of receiving theaudio/video material itself. In this way the bandwidth of theaudio/video material can remain high with a correspondingly high qualitywhilst the meta data and picture stamps are at a relatively low bandwidth providing relatively low quality information. As a result of thelow band width the meta data and picture stamps may be communicated viaa wireless link on a considerably lower band width channel. Thisfacilitates rapid communication of the meta data describing content ofthe audio/video material.

[0078] The picture stamps generated by the meta data generationprocessor 128 can be at any point during the recorded audio/videomaterial. In one embodiment the picture stamps are generated at the INand OUT points of each take. However in other embodiments of the presentinvention as an activity processor 170 is arranged to detect relativeactivity within the video material. This is effected by performing aprocess in which a histogram of the color components of the imagesrepresented by the video signal is compiled and the rate of change ofthe color components determined and changes in these color componentsused to indicate activity within the image. Alternatively or inaddition, motion vectors within the image are used to indicate activity.The activity processor 176 then operates to generate a signal indicativeof the relative activity within the video material. The meta datageneration processor 128 then operates in response to the activitysignal to generate picture stamps such more picture stamps are generatedfor greater activity within the images represented by the video signals.

[0079] In an alternative embodiment of the present invention theactivity processor 170 is arranged to receive the audio signals via theconnecting channel 172 and to recognise speech within the audio signals.The activity processor 170 then generates content data representative ofthe content of this speech as text. The text data is then communicatedto the data processor 128 which may be stored in the data store 132 orcommunicated with other meta data via the communications processor 160in a similar way to that already explained for the picture stamps.

[0080]FIG. 7 provides a schematic representation of a post productionprocess in which the audio/video material is edited to produce anaudio/video program. As shown in FIG. 7 the meta data, which may includepicture stamps and/or the speech content information is communicatedfrom the acquisition unit 152 via a separate route represented by abroken line 174, to a meta data database 176. The route 174 may berepresentative of a wireless communications link formed by for exampleUMTS, GSM or the like.

[0081] The database 176 stores meta data to be associated with theaudio/video material. The audio/video material in high quality form isrecorded onto the tape 126. Thus the tape 126 is transported back to theediting suite where it is ingested by an ingestion processor 178. Thetape identification (tape ID) recorded onto the tape 126 or other metadata providing an indication of the content of the audio/video materialis used to associate the meta data stored in the data store 176 with theaudio/video material on the tape as indicated by the broken line 180.

[0082] As will be appreciated although the example embodiment of thepresent invention uses a video tape as the recording medium for storingthe audio/video signals, it will be understood that alternativerecording medium such as magnetic disks and random access memories mayalso be used.

Ingestion Processor

[0083]FIG. 7 provides a schematic representation of a post productionprocess in which the audio/video material is edited to produce anaudio/video program. As shown in FIG. 7 the meta data, which may includepicture stamps and/or the speech content information is communicatedfrom the acquisition unit 152 via a separate route represented by abroken line 174, to a meta data database 176. The route 174 may berepresentative of a wireless communications link formed by for exampleUMTS, GSM or the like.

[0084] The database 176 stores meta data to be associated with theaudio/video material. The audio/video material in high quality form isrecorded onto the tape 126. Thus the tape 126 is transported back to theediting suite where it is ingested by an ingestion processor 178. Thetape identification (tape ID) recorded onto the tape 126 or other metadata providing an indication of the content of the audio/video materialis used to associate the meta data stored in the data store 176 with theaudio/video material on the tape as indicated by the broken line 180.

[0085] The ingestion processor 178 is also shown in FIG. 7 to beconnected to a network formed from a communications channel representedby a connecting line 182. The connecting line 182 represents acommunications channel for communicating data to items of equipment,which form an inter-connected network. To this end, these items ofequipment are provided with a network card which may operate inaccordance with a known access technique such as Ethernet, RS422 and thelike. Furthermore, as will be explained shortly, the communicationsnetwork 182 may also provide data communications in accordance with theSerial Digital Interface (SDI) or the Serial Digital Transport Interface(SDTI).

[0086] Also shown connected to the communications network 182 is themeta data database 176, and an audio/video server 190, into which theaudio/video material is ingested. Furthermore, editing terminals 184,186 are also connected to the communications channel 182 along with adigital multi-effects processor 188.

[0087] The communications network 182 provides access to the audio/videomaterial present on tapes, discs or other recording media which areloaded into the ingestion processor 178.

[0088] The meta data database 176 is arranged to receive meta data viathe route 174 describing the content of the audio/video materialrecorded on to the recording media loaded into the ingestion processor178.

[0089] As will be appreciated although in the example embodiment a videotape has been used as the recording medium for storing the audio/videosignals, it will be understood that alternative recording media such asmagnetic disks and random access memories may also be used, and thatvideo tape is provided as an illustrative example only.

[0090] The editing terminals 184, 186 digital multi-effects processor188 are provided with access to the audio/video material recorded on tothe tapes loaded into the ingestion processor 178 and the meta datadescribing this audio/video material stored in the meta data database176 via the communications network 182. The operation of the ingestionprocessor with 178 in combination with the meta data database 176 willnow be described in more detail.

[0091]FIG. 8 provides an example representation of the ingestionprocessor 178. In FIG. 8 the ingestion processor 178 is shown to have ajog shuttle control 200 for navigating through the audio/video materialrecorded on the tapes loaded into video tape recorders/reproducersforming part of the ingestion processor 178. The ingestion processor 178also includes a display screen 202 which is arranged to display picturestamps which describe selected parts of the audio/video material. Thedisplay screen 202 also acts as a touch screen providing a user with thefacility for selecting the audio/video material by touch. The ingestionprocessor 178 is also arranged to display all types of meta data on thescreen 202 which includes script, camera type, lens types and UMIDs.

[0092] As shown in FIG. 9, the ingestion processor 178 may include aplurality of video tape recorders/reproducers into which the video tapesonto which the audio/video material is recorded may be loaded inparallel. In the example shown in FIG. 9, the video tape recorders 204are connected to the ingestion processor 178 via an RS422 link and anSDI IN/OUT link. The ingestion processor 178 therefore represents a dataprocessor which can access any of the video tape recorders 204 in orderto reproduce the audio/video material from the video tapes loaded intothe video tape recorders. Furthermore, the ingestion processor 178 isprovided with a network card in order to access the communicationsnetwork 182. As will be appreciated from FIG. 9 however, thecommunications channel 182 is comprised of a relatively low band widthdata communications channel 182′ and a high band width SDI channel 182″for use in streaming video data. Correspondingly, therefore theingestion processor 178 is connected to the video tape recorders 204 viaan RS422 link in order communicate requests for corresponding items ofaudio/video material. Having requested these items of audio/videomaterial, the audio/video material is communicated back to the ingestionprocessor 178 via an SDI communication link 206 for distribution via theSDI network. The requests may for example include the UMID whichuniquely identifies the audio/video material item(s).

[0093] The operation of the ingestion processor in association with themeta data database 176 will now be explained with reference to FIG. 10.In FIG. 10 the meta data database 176 is shown to include a number ofitems of meta data 210 associated with a particular tape ID 212. Asshown by the broken line headed arrow 214, the tape ID 212 identifies aparticular video tape 216, on which the audio/video materialcorresponding to the meta data 210 is recorded. In the exampleembodiment shown in FIG. 10, the tape ID 212 is written onto the videotape 218 in the linear time code area 220. However it will beappreciated that in other embodiments, the tape ID could be written inother places such as the vertical blanking portion. The video tape 216is loaded into one of the video tape recorders 204 forming part of theingestion processor 178.

[0094] In operation one of the editing terminals 184 is arranged toaccess the meta data database 176 via the low band width communicationschannel 182′ the editing terminal 184 is therefore provided with accessto the meta data 210 describing the content of the audio/video materialrecorded onto the tape 216. The meta data 210 may include such as thecopyright owner “BSkyB”, the resolution of the picture and the format inwhich the video material is encoded, the name of the program, which isin this case “Grandstand”, and information such as the date, time andaudience. Meta data may further include a note of the content of theaudio/video material.

[0095] Each of the items of audio/video material is associated with aUMID, which idenifies the audio/video material. As such, the editingterminal 184 can be used to identify and select from the meta data 210the items of audio/video material which are required in order to producea program. This material may be identified by the UMID associated withthe material. In order to access the audio/video material to produce theprogram, the editing terminal 184 communicates a request for thismaterial via the low band width communications network 182. The requestincludes the UMID or the UMIDs identifying the audio/video materialitem(s). In response to the request for audio/video material receivedfrom the editing terminal 184, the ingestion processor 178 is arrangedto reproduce selectively these audio/video material items identified bythe UMID or UMIDs from the video tape recorder into which the videocassette 216 is loaded. This audio/video material is then streamed viathe SDI network 182′ back to the editing terminal 184 to be incorporatedinto the audio/video production being edited. The streamed audio/videomaterial is ingested into the audio/video server 190 from where theaudio/video can be stored and reproduced.

[0096]FIG. 11 provides an alternative arrangement in which the meta data210 is recorded onto a suitable recording medium with the audio/videomaterial. For example the meta data 210 could be recorded in one of theaudio tracks of the video tape 218′. Alternatively, the recording mediummay be an optical disc or magnetic disc allowing random access andproviding a greater capacity for storing data. In this case the metadata 210 may be stored with the audio/video material.

[0097] In a yet further arrangement, some or all of the meta data may berecorded onto the tape 216. This may be recorded, for example, into thelinear recording track of the tape 218. Some meta data related to themeta data recorded onto the tape may be conveyed separately and storedin the database 176. A further step is required in order to ingest themeta data and to this end the ingestion processor 178 is arranged toread the meta data from the recording medium 218′ and convey the metadata via the communications network 182′ to the meta data database 176.Therefore, it will be appreciated that the meta data associated with theaudio/video material to be ingested by the ingestion processor 178 maybe ingested into the database 176 via a separate medium or via therecording medium on which the audio/video material is also recorded.

[0098] The meta data associated with the audio/video material may alsoinclude picture stamps which represent low quality representations ofthe images at various points throughout the video material. These may bepresented at the touch screen 202 on the ingestion processor 178.Furthermore these picture stamps may be conveyed via the network 182′ tothe editing terminals 184, 186 or the effects processor 188 to providean indication of the content of the audio/video material. The editor istherefore provided with a pictorial representation for the audio/videomaterial and from this a selection of an audio/video material items maybe made. Furthermore, the picture stamp may stored in the database 176as part of the meta data 210. The editor may therefore retrieve aselected item for the corresponding picture stamp using the UMID whichis associated with the picture stamp.

[0099] In other embodiments of the invention, the recording medium maynot have sufficient capacity to include picture stamps recorded with theaudio/video material. This is likely to be so if the recording medium isa video tape 216. It is particularly appropriate in this case, althoughnot exclusively so, to generate picture stamps before or duringingestion of the audio/video material.

[0100] Returning to FIG. 7, in other embodiments, the ingestionprocessor 178 may include a pre-processing unit. The pre-processing unitembodied within the ingestion processor 178 is arranged to receive theaudio/video material recorded onto the recording medium which, in thepresent example is a video tape 126. To this end, the pre-processingunit may be provided with a separate video recorder/reproducer or may becombined with the video tape recorder/reproducer which forms part of theingestion processor 178. The pre-processing unit generates picturestamps associated with the audio/video material. As explained above, thepicture stamps are used to provide a pictorial representation of thecontent of the audio/video material items. However in accordance with afurther embodiment of the present invention the pre-processing unitoperates to process the audio/video material and generate an activityindicator representative of relative activity within the content of theaudio/video material. This may be achieved for example using a processorwhich operates to generate an activity signal in accordance with ahistogram of color components within the images represented by the videosignal and to generate the activity signals in accordance with a rate ofchange of the color histogram components. The pre-processing unit thenoperates to generate a picture stamp at points throughout the videomaterial where there are periods of activity indicated by the activitysignal. This is represented in FIG. 12. In FIG. 12A picture stamps 224are shown to be generated along a line 226 which is representing timewithin the video signal. As shown in FIG. 12A the picture stamps 224 aregenerated at times along the time line 226 where the activity signalrepresented as arrows 228 indicates events of activity. This might befor example someone walking into and out of the field of view of thecamera where there is a great deal of motion represented by the videosignal. To this end, the activity signal may also be generated usingmotion vectors which may be, for example, the motion vectors generatedin accordance with the MPEG standard.

[0101] In other embodiments of the invention, the pre-processor maygenerate textual information corresponding to speech present within theaudio signal forming part of the audio/video material items stored onthe tape 126. The textual information may be generated instead of thepicture stamps or in addition to the picture stamps. In this case, textmay be generated for example for the first words of sentences and/or thefirst activity of a speaker. This is detected from the audio signalspresent on the tape recording or forming part of the audio/videomaterial. The start points where text is to be generated is representedalong the time line 226 as arrows 230. Alternatively the text could begenerated at the end of sentences or indeed at other points of interestwithin the speech.

[0102] At the detected start of the speech, a speech processor operatesto generate a textual representation of the content of the speech. Tothis end, the time line 226 shown in FIG. 12B is shown to include thetext 232 corresponding to the content of the speech at the start ofactivity periods of speech.

[0103] The picture stamps and textual representation of the speechactivity generated by the pre-processor is communicated via thecommunications channel 182 to the meta data database 176 and stored. Thepicture stamps and text are stored in association with the UMIDidentifying the corresponding items of audio/video material from whichthe picture stamps 224 and the textual information 232 were generated.This therefore provides a facility to an editor operating one of theediting terminals 184, 186 to analyse the content of the audio/videomaterial before it is ingested using the ingestion processor 178. Assuch the video tape 126 is loaded into the ingestion processor 178 andthereafter the audio/video material can be accessed via the networkcommunications channel 182. The editor is therefore provided with anindication, very rapidly, of the content of the audio/video material andso may ingest only those parts of the material, which are relevant tothe particular material items required by the editor. This has aparticular advantage in improving the efficiency with which the editormay produce an audio/video production.

[0104] In an alternative embodiment, the pre-processor may be a separateunit and may be provided with a screen on which the picture stampsand/or text information are displayed, and a means such as, for example,a touch screen, to provide a facility for selecting the audio/videomaterial items to be ingested.

[0105] In a further embodiment of the invention, the ingestion processor178 generates meta data items such as UMIDs whilst the audio/videomaterial is being ingested. This may required because the acquisitionunit in the camera 152 is not arranged to generate UMIDs, but doesgenerate a Unique Material Reference Number (MURN). The MURN isgenerated for each material item, such as a take. The MURN is arrangedto be considerably shorter than a UMID and can therefore be accommodatedwithin the linear time code of a video tape, which is more difficult forUMIDs because these are larger. Alternatively the MURN may be writteninto a TELEFILE (RTM) label of the tape. The MURN provides a uniqueidentification of the audio/video material items present on the tape.The MURNs may be communicated separately to the database 176 asindicated by the line 174.

[0106] At the ingestion processor 178, the MURN for the material itemsare recovered from the tape or the TELEFILE label. For each MURN, theingestion processor 178 operates to generate a UMID corresponding to theMURN. The UMIDs are then communicated with the MURN to the database 176,and are ingested into the database in association with the MURNs, whichmay be already present within the database 176.

Camera Meta Data

[0107] The following is provided, by way of example, to illustrate thepossible types of meta data generated during the production of aprogramme, and one possible organisational approach to structuring thatmeta data.

[0108]FIG. 13 illustrates an example structure for organising meta data.A number of tables each comprising a number of fields containing metadata are provided. The tables may be associated with each other by wayof common fields within the respective tables, thereby providing arelational structure. Also, the structure may comprise a number ofinstances of the same table to represent multiple instances of theobject that the table may represent. The fields may be formatted in apredetermined manner. The size of the fields may also be predetermined.Example sizes include “Int” which represents 2 bytes, “Long Int” whichrepresents 4 bytes and “Double” which represents 8 bytes. Alternatively,the size of the fields may be defined with reference to the number ofcharacters to be held within the field such as, for example, 8, 10, 16,32, 128, and 255 characters.

[0109] Turning to the structure in more detail, there is provided aProgramme Table. The Programme Table comprises a number of fieldsincluding Programme ID (PID), Title, Working Title, Genre ID, Synopsis,Aspect Ratio, Director ID and Picturestamp. Associated with theProgramme Table is a Genre Table, a Keywords Table, a Script Table, aPeople Table, a Schedule Table and a plurality of Media Object Tables.

[0110] The Genre Table comprises a number of fields including Genre ID,which is associated with the Genre ID field of the Programme Table, andGenre Description.

[0111] The Keywords Table comprises a number of fields includingProgramme ID, which is associated with the Programme ID field of theProgramme Table, Keyword ID and Keyword.

[0112] The Script Table comprises a number of fields including ScriptID, Script Name, Script Type, Document Format, Path, Creation Date,Original Author, Version, Last Modified, Modified By, PID associatedwith Programme ID and Notes. The People Table comprises a number offields including Image.

[0113] The People Table is associated with a number of Individual Tablesand a number of Group Tables. Each Individual Table comprises a numberof fields including Image. Each Group Table comprises a number of fieldsincluding Image. Each Individual Table is associated with either aProduction Staff Table or a Cast Table.

[0114] The Production Staff Table comprises a number of fields includingProduction Staff ID, Surname, Firstname, Contract ID, Agent, Agency ID,E-mail, Address, Phone Number, Role ID, Notes, Allergies, DOB, NationalInsurance Number and Bank ID and Picture Stamp.

[0115] The Cast Table comprises a number of fields including Cast ID,Surname, Firstname, Character Name, Contract ID, Agent, Agency ID,Equity Number, E-mail, Address, Phone Number, DOB and Bank ID andPicture Stamp. Associated with the Production Staff Table and Cast Tableare a Bank Details Table and an Agency Table.

[0116] The Bank Details Table comprises a number of fields includingBank ID, which is associated with the Bank ID field of the ProductionStaff Table and the Bank ID field of the Cast Table, Sort Code, AccountNumber and Account Name.

[0117] The Agency Table comprises a number of fields including AgencyID, which is associated with the Agency ID field of the Production StaffTable and the Agency ID field of the Cast Table, Name, Address, PhoneNumber, Web Site and E-mail and a Picture Stamp. Also associated withthe Production Staff Table is a Role Table.

[0118] The Role Table comprises a number of fields including Role ID,which is associated with the Role ID field of the Production StaffTable, Function and Notes and a Picture Stamp. Each Group Table isassociated with an Organisation Table.

[0119] The Organisation Table comprises a number fields includingOrganisation ID, Name, Type, Address, Contract ID, Contact Name, ContactPhone Number and Web Site and a Picture Stamp.

[0120] Each Media Object Table comprises a number of fields includingMedia Object ID, Name, Description, Picturestamp, PID, Format, scheduleID, script ID and Master ID. Associated with each Media Object Table isthe People Table, a Master Table, a Schedule Table, a Storyboard Table,a script table and a number of Shot Tables.

[0121] The Master Table comprises a number of fields including MasterID, which is associated with the Master ID field of the Media ObjectTable, Title, Basic UMID, EDL ID, Tape ID and Duration and a PictureStamp.

[0122] The Schedule Table comprises a number of fields includingSchedule ID, Schedule Name, Document Format, Path, Creation Date,Original Author, Start Date, End Date, Version, Last Modified, ModifiedBy and Notes and PID which is associated with the programme ID.

[0123] The contract table contains: a contract ID which is associatedwith the contract ID of the Production staff, cast, and organisationtables; commencement date, rate, job title, expiry date and details.

[0124] The Storyboard Table comprises a number of fields includingStoryboard ID, which is associated with the Storyboard ID of the shotTable, Description, Author, Path and Media ID.

[0125] Each Shot Table comprises a number of fields including Shot ID,PID, Media ID, Title, Location ID, Notes, Picturestamp, script ID,schedule ID, and description. Associated with each Shot Table is thePeople Table, the Schedule Table, script table, a Location Table and anumber of Take Tables.

[0126] The Location Table comprises a number of fields includingLocation ID, which is associated with the Location ID field of the ShotTable, GPS, Address, Description, Name, Cost Per Hour, Directions,Contact Name, Contact Address and Contact Phone Number and a PictureStamp.

[0127] Each Take Table comprises a number of fields including BasicUMID, Take Number, Shot ID, Media ID, Timecode IN, Timecode OUT, SignMeta data, Tape ID, Camera ID, Head Hours, Videographer, IN Stamp, OUTStamp. Lens ID, AUTOID ingest ID and Notes. Associated with each TakeTable is a Tape Table, a Task Table, a Camera Table, a lens table, aningest table and a number of Take Annotation Tables.

[0128] The Ingest table contains an Ingest ID which is associated withthe Ingest Id in the take table and a description.

[0129] The Tape Table comprises a number of fields including Tape ID,which is associated with the Tape ID field of the Take Table, PID,Format, Max Duration, First Usage, Max Erasures, Current Erasure, ETA (estimated time of arrival) and Last Erasure Date and a Picture Stamp.

[0130] The Task Table comprises a number of fields including Task ID,PID, Media ID, Shot ID, which are associated with the Media ID and ShotID fields respectively of the Take Table, Title, Task Notes,Distribution List and CC List. Associated with the Task Table is aPlanned Shot Table.

[0131] The Planned Shot Table comprises a number of fields includingPlanned Shot ID, PID, Media ID, Shot ID, which are associated with thePID, Media ID and Shot ID respectively of the Task Table, Director, ShotTitle, Location, Notes, Description, Videographer, Due date, Programmetitle, media title Aspect Ratio and Format.

[0132] The Camera Table comprises a number of fields including CameraID, which is associated with the Camera ID field of the Take Table,Manufacturer, Model, Format, Serial Number, Head Hours, Lens ID, Notes,Contact Name, Contact Address and Contact Phone Number and a PictureStamp.

[0133] The Lens Table comprises a number of fields including Lens ID,which is associated with the Lens ID field of the Take Table,Manufacturer, Model, Serial Number, Contact Name, Contact Address andContact Phone Number and a Picture Stamp.

[0134] Each Take Annotation Table comprises a number of fields includingTake Annotation ID, Basic UMID, Timecode, Shutter Speed, Iris, Zoom,Gamma, Shot Marker ID, Filter Wheel, Detail and Gain. Associated witheach Take Annotation Table is a Shot Marker Table.

[0135] The Shot Marker Table comprises a number of fields including ShotMarker ID, which is associated with the Shot Marker ID of the TakeAnnotation Table, and Description.

UMID Description

[0136] A UMID is described in SMPTE Journal March 2000 which providesdetails of the UMID standard. Referring to FIGS. 14 and 15, a basic andan extended UMID are shown. It comprises a first set of 32 bytes ofbasic UMID and a second set of 32 bytes of signature meta data.

[0137] The first set of 32 bytes is the basic UMID. The components are:

[0138] A 12-byte Universal Label to identify this as a SMPTE UMID. Itdefines the 25 type of material which the UMID identifies and alsodefines the methods by which the globally unique Material and locallyunique Instance numbers are created.

[0139] A 1-byte length value to define the length of the remaining partof the UMID.

[0140] A 3-byte Instance number which is used to distinguish betweendifferent ‘instances’ of material with the same Material number.

[0141] A 16-byte Material number which is used to identify each clip.Each Material number is the same for related instances of the samematerial.

[0142] second set of 32 bytes of the signature meta data as a set ofpacked meta used to create an extended UMID. The extended UMID comprisesthe followed immediately by signature meta data which comprises:

[0143] 8-byte time/date code identifying the time and date of theContent Unit creation.

[0144] 12-byte value which defines the spatial co-ordinates at the timeof Content Unit creation.

[0145] 3 groups of 4-byte codes which register the country, organisationand user codes

[0146] Each component of the basic and extended UMIDs will now bedefined in turn.

12-byte Universal Label

[0147] The first 12 bytes of the UMID provide identification of the UMIDby the ring value defined in table 1. TABLE 1 Specification of the UMIDUniversal Label Byte No. Description Value (hex) 1 Object Identifier 06h2 Label size 0Ch 3 Designation: ISO 2Bh 4 Designation: SMPTE 34h 5Registry: Dictionaries 01h 6 Registry: Meta data Dictionaries 01h 7Standard: Dictionary Number 01h 8 Version number 01h 9 Class:Identification and location 01h 10  Sub-class: Globally UniqueIdentifiers 01h 11  Type: UMID (Picture, Audio, Data, Group) 01, 02, 03,04h 12  Type: Number creation method XXh

[0148] The hex values in table 1 may be changed: the values given areexamples. Also the bytes 1-12 may have designations other than thoseshown by way of example in the table. Referring to the Table 1, in theexample shown byte 4 indicates that bytes 5-12 relate to a data formatagreed by SMPTE. Byte 5 indicates that bytes 6 to 10 relate to“dictionary” data. Byte 6 indicates that such data is “meta data”defined by bytes 7 to 10. Byte 7 indicates the part of the dictionarycontaining meta data defined by bytes 9 and 10. Byte 10 indicates theversion of the dictionary. Byte 9 indicates the class of data and Byte10 indicates a particular item in the class.

[0149] In the present embodiment bytes 1 to 10 have fixed pre-assignedvalues. Byte 11 is variable. Thus referring to FIG. 15, and to Table 1above, it will be noted that the bytes 1 to 10 of the label of the UMIDare fixed. Therefore they may be replaced by a 1 byte ‘Type’ code Trepresenting the bytes 1 to 10. The type code T is followed by a lengthcode L. That is followed by 2 bytes, one of which is byte 11 of Table 1and the other of which is byte 12 of Table 1, an instance number (3bytes) and a material number (16 bytes). Optionally the material numbermay be followed by the signature meta data of the extended UMID and/orother meta data.

[0150] The UMID type (byte 11) has 4 separate values to identify each of4 different data types as follows:

[0151] ‘01h’=UMID for Picture material

[0152] ‘02h’=UMID for Audio material

[0153] ‘03h’=UMID for Data material

[0154] ‘04h’=UMID for Group material (i.e. a combination of relatedessence).

[0155] The last (12th) byte of the 12 byte label identifies the methodsby which the material and instance numbers are created. This byte isdivided into top and bottom nibbles where the top nibble defines themethod of Material number creation and the bottom nibble defines themethod of Instance number creation.

Length

[0156] The Length is a 1-byte number with the value ‘13h’ for basicUMIDs and ‘33h’for extended UMIDs.

Instance Number

[0157] The Instance number is a unique 3-byte number which is created byone of several means defined by the standard. It provides the linkbetween a particular ‘instance’ of a clip and externally associated metadata. Without this instance number, all material could be linked to anyinstance of the material and its associated meta data.

[0158] The creation of a new clip requires the creation of a newMaterial number together with a zero Instance number. Therefore, anon-zero Instance number indicates that the associated clip is not thesource material. An Instance number is primarily used to identifyassociated meta data related to any particular instance of a clip.

Material Number

[0159] The 16-byte Material number is a non-zero number created by oneof several means identified in the standard. The number is dependent ona 6-byte registered port ID number, time and a random number generator.

Signature Meta data

[0160] Any component from the signature meta data may be null-filledwhere no meaningful value can be entered. Any null-filled component iswholly null-filled to clearly indicate a downstream decoder that thecomponent is not valid.

The Time-Date Format

[0161] The date-time format is 8 bytes where the first 4 bytes are a UTC(Universal Time Code) based time component. The time is defined eitherby an AES3 32-bit audio sample clock or SMPTE 12M depending on theessence type.

[0162] The second 4 bytes define the date based on the Modified JulianData (MJD) as defined in SMPTE 309M. This counts up to 999,999 daysafter midnight on the 17th November 1858 and allows dates to the year4597.

The Spatial Co-ordinate Format

[0163] The spatial co-ordinate value consists of three componentsdefined as follows:

[0164] Altitude: 8 decimal numbers specifying up to 99,999,999 meters.

[0165] Longitude: 8 decimal numbers specifying East/West 180.00000degrees (5 decimal places active).

[0166] Latitude: 8 decimal numbers specifying North/South 90.00000degrees (5 decimal places active).

[0167] The Altitude value is expressed as a value in meters from thecenter of the earth thus allowing altitudes below the sea level.

[0168] It should be noted that although spatial co-ordinates are staticfor most clips, this is not true for all cases. Material captured from amoving source such as a camera mounted on a vehicle may show changingspatial co-ordinate values.

Country Code

[0169] The Country code is an abbreviated 4-byte alpha-numeric stringaccording to the set defined in ISO 3166. Countries which are notregistered can obtain a registered alpha-numeric string from the SMPTERegistration Authority.

Organisation Code

[0170] The Organisation code is an abbreviated 4-byte alpha-numericstring registered with SMPTE. Organisation codes have meaning only inrelation to their registered Country code so that Organisation codes canhave the same value in different countries.

User Code

[0171] The User code is a 4-byte alpha-numeric string assigned locallyby each organisation and is not globally registered. User codes aredefined in relation to their registered Organisation and Country codesso that User codes may have the same value in different organisationsand countries.

Freelance Operators

[0172] Freelance operators may use their country of domicile for thecountry code and use the Organisation and User codes concatenated toe.g. an 8 byte code which can be registered with SMPTE. These freelancecodes may start with the ‘˜’ symbol (ISO 8859 character number 7Eh) andfollowed by a registered 7 digit alphanumeric string.

[0173] As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art variousmodifications may be made to the embodiments herein before describedwithout departing from the scope of the present invention. For examplewhilst embodiments have been described with recording audio/video ontomagnetic tape, it will be appreciated that other recording media arepossible.

[0174] Having regard to the description of example embodiments of theinvention described above, it will be appreciated that a further aspectof the present invention provides a video processing apparatus and anaudio processing apparatus for processing video signals representingimages and audio signals representing sound, data video and audioprocessing apparatus comprising an activity detector which is arrangedin operation to receive the video signals and the audio signalsrespectively and to generate an activity signal indicative of an amountof activity within the images represented by the video signal, and thesound within the audio signal respectively, and a meta data generatorcoupled to the activity detector which is arranged in operation toreceive the video signal and the audio signal respectively and theactivity signal and to generate meta data representative of the contentof the video signals and audio signals at temporal positions within thevideo signal and audio signal respectively, which temporal positions aredetermined from data activity signal.

[0175] As will be appreciated those features of the invention whichappear in the example embodiments as a data processor or processingunits could be implemented in hard ware as well as a software computerprogram running on an appropriate data processor. Correspondingly thoseaspects and features of the invention which are described as computer orapplication programs running on a data processor may be implemented asdedicated hardware. It will therefore be appreciated that a computerprogram running on a data processor which serves to form an audio and/orvideo generation apparatus as herein before described is an aspect ofthe present invention. Similarly a computer program recorded onto arecordable medium which serves to define the method according to thepresent invention or when loaded onto a computer forms an apparatusaccording to the present invention are aspects of the present invention.

[0176] Whilst the embodiments described above each include explicitlyrecited combinations of features according to different aspects of thepresent invention, other embodiments are envisaged according to thegeneral teaching of the invention, which include combinations offeatures as appropriate, other than those explicitly recited in theembodiments described above. Accordingly, it will be appreciated thatdifferent combinations of features of the appended independent anddependent claims form further aspects of the invention other than those,which are explicitly recited in the claims.

1. An audio/video reproducing apparatus connectable to a communicationsnetwork for selectively reproducing items of audio/video material from arecording medium in response to a request received via saidcommunications network.
 2. An audio/video reproducing apparatus asclaimed in claim 1, comprising a control processor which is arranged inuse to receive data representing said request for said audio/videomaterial item via said communications network, and a reproducingprocessor coupled to the control processor and arranged in response tosignals identifying said audio/video material items from said controlprocessor to reproduce said audio/video material items, which arecommunicated via said communications network.
 3. An audio/videoreproducing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, a first networkinterface connectable to a first communications network for receivingsaid data representing said requests for said audio/video materialitems, and a second network interface connectable to a secondcommunications network for communicating said items of audio/videomaterial.
 4. An audio/video reproducing apparatus as claimed in anypreceding Claim, wherein said first network interface is arranged tooperate in accordance with a data communications network standard suchas Ethernet, RS 322 or RS 422 or the like.
 5. An audio/video reproducingapparatus as claimed in any of claims 3 or 4, wherein said secondnetwork interface is arranged to operates in accordance with the SerialDigital Interface (SDI) or the Serial Digital Transport Interface(SDTI).
 6. An audio/video reproducing apparatus as claimed in anypreceding Claim, wherein said data representing requests for audio/videomaterial items includes meta data indicative of the audio/video materialitems.
 7. An audio/video reproducing apparatus as claimed in anypreceding Claim, wherein said meta data is at least one of UMID, tape IDand time codes, and a Unique Material Reference Number, identifying thematerial items.
 8. An audio/video reproducing apparatus as claimed inany of claims 2 to 7, wherein said reproducing apparatus comprises aplurality of audio/video recording/reproducing apparatus each of whichis coupled to said control processor via a local data bus.
 9. Anaudio/video reproducing apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein saidlocal bus includes a control communications channel for communicatingcontrol data to and/or from said control processor, and video datacommunications channel for communicating said items of audio/videomaterial from said plurality of audio/video recording/reproducingapparatus to said communications network.
 10. An audio/video reproducingapparatus as claimed in any preceding Claim, comprising a display devicewhich is arranged in operation to display images representative of saidaudio/video material items present on said recording medium.
 11. Anaudio/video reproducing apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein saiddisplay device is a touch screen coupled to said control processor, andarrange in use to receive touch commands from a user for selecting saiditems of audio/video material.
 12. An audio/video reproducing apparatusas claimed in any of claims 2 to 11, wherein said control processor isarranged to generate data representing a material identifier for each ofsaid audio/video material items, from data recorded with saidaudio/video material items on said recording medium.
 13. An audio/videoreproducing apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein said materialidentifier is a UMID or the like.
 14. A method of reproducing items ofaudio/video material from a recording medium, comprising the steps ofcommunicating an identification of a selected item of audio/videomaterial via a communications network, receiving said identification atan audio/video reproducing apparatus in which said recording medium isloaded, and selectively reproducing said item of audio/video materialfrom said recording medium in accordance with said identification.
 15. Avideo processing apparatus for processing video signals representingimages comprising an activity detector which is arranged in operation toreceive said video signals and to generate an activity signal indicativeof an amount of activity within the images represented by the videosignal, and an image generator coupled to the activity detector which isarranged in operation to receive said video signal and said activitysignal and to generate sample images at temporal positions within saidvideo signal, which temporal positions are determined from said activitysignal.
 16. A video processing apparatus as claimed in claim 15, whereinsaid activity signal is representative of a relative amount of activitywithin the images represented by said video signal and said imagedetector is arranged in operation to produce more of said sample imagesduring periods of greater activity indicated by said activity signal.17. A video processing apparatus as claimed in claims 15 or 16, whereinsaid sample images are represented by a substantially reduced amount ofdata in comparison to said images represented by said video signal. 18.A video processing apparatus as claimed in any of claims 15 to 17,comprising a reproduction processor which is arranged in operation toreceive a recording medium on which said video signals are recorded andto reproduce said video signals from said recording medium.
 19. A videoprocessing apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein said imagegenerator is arranged in operation to generate, for each of said sampleimages a material identification representative of a location on saidrecording medium where the video signal corresponding to said sampleimages are recorded.
 20. A video processing apparatus as claimed in anyof claims 15 to 19, comprising a display device for displaying saidsample images.
 21. A video processing apparatus as claimed in claim 20,wherein said display device is arranged to display said sample images atlocations on said display device which are representative of thelocation on said recording medium at which said sample images arerecorded.
 22. A video processing apparatus as claimed in any of claims15 to 21, comprising a communications processor which is arranged inoperation to communicate said sample images.
 23. A video processingapparatus as claimed in any of claims 15 to 22, wherein said activitydetector generates said activity signal by forming a histogram of colorcomponents of said video image and determining a rate of change of saidcolor components.
 24. A video processing apparatus as claimed in any ofclaims 15 to 23, wherein said activity detector generates said activitysignal from motion vectors of image components of said video imagesignal.
 25. An editing system having a database connected to acommunications channel and a video processor as claimed in any of claims22, 23 or 24, connected to said communications channel via thecommunications processor, said communications processor being arrangedin operation to communicate said sample images to said database, inwhich said sample images are stored.
 26. An audio processing apparatusfor processing audio signals representative of sound, said audioprocessing apparatus comprising a speech analysis processor which isarranged in operation to generate speech data identifying speechdetected within said audio signals, an activity processor coupled tosaid speech analysis processor and arranged in operation to generate anactivity signal in response to said speech data, and a contentinformation generator, coupled to said activity processor and saidspeech analysis processor and arranged in operation to generate datarepresenting the content of said speech at temporal positions withinsaid audio signal determined by said activity signal.
 27. An audioprocessing apparatus as claimed in claim 26, wherein said activitysignal is indicative of the start of a speech sentence.
 28. An audioprocessing apparatus as claimed in claims 26 or 27, comprising areproduction processor which is arranged in operation to receive arecording medium on which said audio signals are recorded and toreproduce said audio signals from said recording medium.
 29. An audioprocessing apparatus as claimed in any of claims 26, 27 or 28, whereinsaid content information generator is arranged in operation to generate,for each of said sample images a material identification representativeof a location on said recording medium where the audio signalscorresponding to said content data are recorded.
 30. An audio processingapparatus as claimed in any of claims 26 to 29, wherein said contentdata is representative of text corresponding to the content of thespeech.
 31. An audio processing apparatus as claimed in claim 30,comprising a display device for displaying said text.
 32. An audioprocessing apparatus as claimed in claim 31, wherein said display deviceis arranged to display said text with respect a location on said displaydevice which is representative of a location on said recording medium atwhich said text is recorded.
 33. An audio processing apparatus asclaimed in any of claims 26 to 32, comprising a communications processorwhich is arranged in operation to communicate said content data.
 34. Anediting system having a database connected to a communications channeland an audio processor as claimed in claim 33, connected to saidcommunications channel via the communications processor, saidcommunications processor being arranged in operation to communicate saidcontent data to said database, in which said sample images are stored.35. An audio/video processing apparatus comprising a video processingapparatus as claimed in any of claims 15 to 24, and an audio processingapparatus as claimed in any of claims 26 to
 33. 36. A method ofprocessing video signals comprising the steps of generating an activitysignal indicative of an amount of activity within the images representedby the video signal, and generating sample images at temporal positionswithin said video signal, which temporal positions are determined fromsaid activity signal.
 37. A method of processing audio signalsrepresentative of sound, said method comprising the steps of generatingspeech data identifying speech detected within said audio signals,generating an activity signal in response to said speech data, andgenerating data representing the content of said speech at temporalpositions within said audio signal determined by said activity signal.38. A system for editing audio/video productions comprising an ingestionprocessor having means for receiving a recording medium and beingarranged in use to reproduce audio/video material items from saidrecording medium, a data base operable to receive and to store meta datadescribing the contents of said audio/video material items on saidrecording medium, and an editing processor coupled to said ingestionprocessor and said data base, said editing processor having a graphicaluser interface for displaying a representation of said meta data storedin said data base and for selecting said audio/video material items fromsaid displayed representation of said meta data, said editing processorbeing arranged to combine user selected items of audio/video material,which are selectively reproduced by said ingestion processor in responseto meta data corresponding to said selected items of audio/videomaterial being communicated to said ingestion processor by said editingprocessor.
 39. A system as claimed in claim 38, wherein said editingprocessor is coupled to said data base and said audio/video reproducingapparatus via a data communications network.
 40. A system as claimed inclaim 39, wherein said data communications network comprises a firstcommunications channel coupled to said editing station, said data baseand said ingestion processor for communicating said meta data, and asecond communications channel coupled to said editing station, said database and said ingestion processor for communicating said items ofaudio/video material.
 41. A system as claimed in claim 40, wherein saidfirst network interface is arranged to operate in accordance with a datacommunications network standard such as Ethernet, RS 322 or RS 422 orthe like.
 42. A system as claimed in claims 40 or 41, wherein saidsecond network interface is arranged to operates in accordance with theSerial Digital Interface (SDI) or the Serial Digital Transport Interface(SDTI).
 43. A system as claimed in any of claims 38 to 42, wherein saidmeta data includes at least one of UMID, tape ID and time codes, and aUnique Material Reference Number, identifying the material items.
 44. Asystem as claimed in any of claims 38 to 43, wherein said meta dataincludes sample images representing the content of the audio/videomaterial items at sample temporal positions within said audio/videomaterial items.
 45. A system as claimed in any of claims 38 to 44,wherein said recording medium includes said meta data describing thecontent of the audio/video material items recorded on to said recordingmedium, and said ingestion processor is arranged in operation toreproduce said meta data and to communicate said meta data via saidnetwork to said data base, said data base operating to receive and tostore said meta data.
 46. A method of generating an audio/videoproduction by selecting and combining items of meta data, said methodcomprising the steps of loading a recording medium on which items ofaudio/video material are recorded into an ingestion processor; reviewingmeta data describing the content of the audio/video material items onsaid recording medium; and consequent upon said review selectivelyretrieving items of audio/video material from said recording medium toform said audio/video production.
 47. A method as claimed in claim 46,comprising the step of loading meta data describing the content of theaudio/video material items into a data base; the step of reviewing themeta data comprising the step of interrogating said data base.
 48. Amethod as claimed in claim 47, wherein said meta data is present on saidrecording medium with said items of audio/video material, and saidmethod further comprises the steps of ingesting said meta data usingsaid ingestion processor, communicating said meta data to said database, and storing said meta data in said data base.
 49. A computerprogram providing computer executable instructions, which when loadedonto a data processor configures the data processor to operate as anaudio/video reproducing apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 13, or35, or a video processing apparatus according to any of claims 15 to 24,or an audio processing apparatus according to any of claims 26 to 33, oran editing system according to any of claims 25, 34 or 38 to
 45. 50. Acomputer program providing computer executable instructions, which whenloaded on to a data processor causes the data processor to perform themethod according to any of claims 14, 36, 37 or claims 46 to
 48. 51. Acomputer program product having a computer readable medium recordedthereon information signals representative of the computer programclaimed in any of claims 49 or
 50. 52. A signal representing audioand/or video material produced by the an audio/video reproducingapparatus according to any of claims 1 to 13, or 35, or the sampleimages produced by the video processing apparatus according to any ofclaims 15 to 24, or the data representing the content of the speechproduced by the audio processing apparatus according to any of claims 26to 33, or an audio/video production produced by the editing systemaccording to any of claims 25, 34 or 38 to
 45. 53. A data carrier onwhich is recorded data representing audio and/or video material producedby the an audio/video reproducing apparatus according to any of claims 1to 13, or 35, or the sample images produced by the video processingapparatus according to any of claims 15 to 24, or the data representingthe content of the speech produced by the audio processing apparatusaccording to any of claims 26 to 33, or an audio/video productionproduced by the editing system according to any of claims 25, 34 or 38to
 45. 54. A system for editing audio/video material items as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
 55. Amethod of reproducing items of audio/video material as herein beforedescribed with reference to the accompanying drawings.
 56. Anaudio/video reproducing apparatus as herein before described withreference to the accompanying drawings.
 57. An audio or a videoprocessing apparatus as herein before described with reference to theaccompanying drawings.
 58. A method of processing items of audio/videomaterial as herein before described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings.